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This caught my eye, and requires comment.

Jews, who have been persecuted, have an obligation to help anyone who has been persecuted? Now that the Azeris are being persecuted, do they have an obligation to help Balluchis or Ahwazis, who are also being persecuted in Iran? Is this an obligation just for Jews? What about Gypsies and Irishmen? Because Jews were persecuted longer and harder and in more places than other peoples who are being persecuted or have been persecuted, is our "obligation" more acute? What about towards people who once did the persecution of Jews but are now being persecuted in some way, such as Ukrainians?

Jews have no obligation to help Azeris, except because it's the decent thing to do. Perhaps those who have done some persecution, such as Germans, Spaniards and Frenchmen, have a special obligation to help persecuted people, but contrary to common belief, Jews are not all rich, do not have limitless resources because of some international conspiracy, and have our hands filled helping those Jews who are still being persecuted throughout the world.

I wish the Azeris well, and hope the Iranian government stops persecuting and oppressing them. But this "rabbi" is a moral idiot, who has forgotten the Talmudic dictum: Help the poor in your family first, then you help the poor in your city, then the poor elsewhere. And the same goes for those who are persecuted.

Would it be different if a minister or priest said “Christians have a duty to help oppressed people?”

Because that’s what Jesus taught us to do.

And Jesus, was first and foremost, the World’s greatest Jew and the Messiah of the Jews and Gentiles.

This Rabbi is saying that there is a RELIGIOUS duty, not a national or tribal duty.

I do believe this is an important Judeo-Christian principle.

this "rabbi" is a moral idiot, who has forgotten the Talmudic dictum: Help the poor in your family first, then you help the poor in your city, then the poor elsewhere. And the same goes for those who are persecuted.

No, this rabbi is no idiot. He's doing PR:

1. He stirs up bad press against Israel's enemy, Iran.

2. He makes the Jews look good, showing compassion for non-Jews.

3. It costs him (and Jews, and Israel) nothing. (It's like wearing a red ribbon to show the world you care about AIDS victims.)